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Committee backs adding cameras to seclusion rooms but flags record‑retention, cost and privacy questions
Summary
The legislative committee expressed general support for a narrow HB5325 change adding cameras to seclusion rooms, while members asked whether recordings would become student records, how long they must be kept and who bears storage costs.
Committee members generally supported inserting a camera requirement into seclusion-room language but recorded several operational and privacy questions to resolve later.
Tom Cosker (Committee member) read the bill language and emphasized the amendment was narrow: "They've added a camera to this piece" (on seclusion rooms), and multiple members stressed the change does not propose classroom surveillance. Several members said the camera insertion is a modest addition intended to increase student safety.
Members raised follow-up questions about whether video becomes part of the student record and how long districts must retain recordings. Jennifer (S10) said federal guidance already treats some recordings as school records and recommended state records guidance: "...recordings can be a school record. We would need to make sure that whatever they decide about how long they maintain it, if a family what the family's right is to access that and if it becomes part of the student record." (Jennifer, S10)
Another member noted a common retention practice for student records and investigations: "that would be seven years," and the group identified storage costs and record‑access rules as unresolved operational matters that could be addressed in subsequent rulemaking or future legislation.
Outcome: the committee agreed to support the cameras-in-seclusion-rooms provision in principle and to ask the executive committee to include general support for the camera section when it files the short testimony. Members flagged retention, access and cost as follow-up items for staff and future discussion.
